A Fairbanks man was indicted in federal court Friday, Feb. 18, 2021 after investigators discovered he attempted to pay to have an ex-romantic partner killed. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

Fairbanks Man indicted for murder for hire

Indictment follows months of alleged domestic violence, according to the Department of Justice.

by Michael S. Lockett
Friday, February 19, 2021 1:04pm
News Crime

A Fairbanks man was indicted Friday for murder for hire by a federal grand jury, U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced.

Roger Keeling, 54, was indicted for murder for hire following an investigation by the FBI and Alaska State Troopers, the Department of Justice said in a news release.

Keeling allegedly attempted to hire someone to kill a woman he had previously been in a relationship with, according to the DOJ. He was charged with a number of domestic violence-related offenses for separate incidents beginning in October 2020 following an alleged strangling, despite being on ankle monitoring, according to the DOJ.

Those charges, included assault, stalking, vandalism, unlawful contact, and violating a domestic violence protective order. The maximum sentence if convicted for attempting murder for hire is 10 years, according to the DOJ.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty is prosecuting the case, according the DOJ. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a violent crime reduction campaign.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

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